Meals · Andhra Pradesh

Tomato Pappu

Everyday Andhra dal: toor dal cooked soft with tomatoes and green chillies, mashed and finished with a garlic-mustard tadka.

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Total 35 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Dal

• ¾ cup Toor dal
• 3 Ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Small onion, chopped
• 4 Green chillies, slit
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Tamarind pulp
• 1 tsp Salt

Tadka

• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 5 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 2 Dried red chillies
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves

Method

1. Pressure-cook. Cook the dal with the tomatoes, onion, chillies, turmeric and 2 cups water for 4 whistles, or simmer covered for 35 minutes until completely soft.
2. Mash. Mash well with a whisk or the back of a ladle. Add the tamarind and salt and simmer 5 minutes, loosening with hot water to a pourable consistency.
3. Temper. Heat the ghee, add mustard and cumin, then garlic, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. When the garlic browns, pour it over the dal.
4. Serve. Top with coriander. Serve with hot rice, a spoon of ghee and avakaya or a fry on the side.

Tips

Swap the tomatoes for a bunch of spinach (palakura pappu) or a cup of diced raw mango (mamidikaya pappu) for the other two Andhra classics.